Acetylene-gas generator.



\ Patented Nov. 25, |902. F.;M. MUORE. AcfTvLENE GAS GENERATOR.

V(Application ld Feb. v13, 1902.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

( No Model.)

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AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. (Applicasion med Feb. 1s, 19021 (No Model.) f 2 sheets-sheet 2.

Patented Nov. 25, i902.

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i FRANK M. MOORE, OF PROVIDENCE., RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE- SIXTHS TO BURDETTE J. WHITE, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ANI) `CHARLES EDWARD MERRILL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

ACETYLENE-GAS G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters PatentNo.` 714,319, dated November` 25, 1902. VApplication. filed Iebruary 13, 1902. Serial No. 93,926. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 7er/ay concern,.- Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View through the 5o Be it known that I, FRANK M. MOORE, a hollow'shaft and its bearing. citizen of the United States, residing at Provi- The present form of generator is especially dence, in the county of Providence and State intended for use on students lamps, locomo- 5 of Rhode Island, have invented certain new tive-headlights, dac., but is not limited thereand useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas to, as the essential features of the invention 55 Generators; and Ido declare the following to also adapt the generator for general use under be a full, clear, and exact description of the all conditions where a reversible or rotary invention, such as will enable others skilled generator of the character shown may be emxo in the art to which it appertains to'make and ployed.

use the same.4 Referring now more particularly to the 6o This invention relates to improvements in drawings,the numeral 1 represents a supportacetylene-gas generators. i i ing-frame which is preferably in the form of The object of the invention is to provide a a yoke comprising an attaching-bracket 2, a

I5 generator which shall bcsimple of construchorizontal har 3, carried by the bracket, and

tion, comparatively inexpensive of producsupporting-arms 4 and 5, rising from the ends 65 tion `and efficient in operation, and one in of said bar. The lower ends of the arms 4:

" which the feed of the water to the carbid is and 5 are preferably united to the-bar by automatically controlled by the pressure of couplings 6, one of which-that carried by 2o the gas, which when it reaches the maximum the arm 5--is hollow `or tubular to receive a pressure intended will cut off the flow of wareduced stem 7 on the contiguous 'end of the 7o ter and preventfurther generation, adecrease bar, said stem being threaded for the recepin the pressure of the gas causing a resumption of a nut 8, whereby the arm 5 is detachtion of the flow of water and the generation ably secured to the bar. The upper ends of the 25 of gas. i armsft and 5 carry bearings 9 and 10, which A further object of the invention is to proreceive short shafts ortrunnions 11 and 12,pro 75 vide a generator which is movably mounted jecting from the sides of the generator-casing in such manner thatlwhen turned to one po- 13,whereby said casing is mounted to oscillate sition the Iiow of water will be cut off and or to rotate in or upon the yoke. As shown,

3o when adjusted to one or more different posithe trunnion or shaft 11 is hollow and comtionsthe water will be let on, thus stopping or municates with the interior of the casing 13 8o starting the generation of gas without the use and has the general form of a tapered plugof valves or other extraneous devices` valve, which extends through the bearing 9 With these and other objects in view the inand is held in place by a screw or suitable 3 5 vention consists of certain novel features of4 fastening 14. The said hollow shaft also has fconstruction, combination, and arrangement a port 15 and an annular groove 16 to allow 85 of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully the gas, as hereinafter described, to pass to described, and particularly pointed out in the the burner-tube 17, which tube is provided appended claims. with a valve 18 for regulating the supply of 4o In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis gasto the burner. By detaching the nut 8 a side elevation of an`acetylene-gas generaand screw 14 the arm t may be detached 9o tor constructed in accordance with my invenfrom the frame and generator, leaving the tion. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. latter freeto be removed, by which means the 3 is a central vertical section of the generaparts may be conveniently disassembled and 45 tor, showing the sameturned to the position packed in close compassfor storage and shipy in which the generation of gas ensues. Fig. ment and as conveniently assembled when 95 t is asimilar view showing the generator reit is desired to mount the generator for use. versed to stop the generation of gas. u Fig. 5 The gas is conducted from the generator to is a horizontal section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. the hollow shaft through a conducting-tube 19, which has its inlet end located adjacent to that end of the generator which is uppermost when the generator is in use, and the said inlet end of the tube is provided with a strainer 20, which prevents any particles of the slaked or waste carbid from entering the tube when the position of the generator is reversed.

The generator-casing.,r 13 has the general form of a cylinder which is closed at that end which is uppermost when the device is in use and is open at its opposite end. A screwcap 21 closes the open end of the casing and is chambered to receive the lower end of the carbid-holder 22, which is suitably fixed thereto and is closed at its upper or free end by a screw-cap 23. The carbid-holder comprises a perforated cylindrical cage or basket of such diameter relative to the casing as to form between them an intervening space 24 for the reception of the waste carbid discharging through the perforations in the cage, as hereinafter described. A waterproof packing-ring 25 fills the space in the chamber of the cap 2l about the cage and prevents the accumulation of water and packing of the waste carbid therein.

Carried by the cap 21 and projecting into the carbid-holder is a water-reservoir tube 26, which tube is closed at its free end and fixed at its opposite end to said cap, the fixed end of the reservoir being open for the supply of water thereto and adapted to be closed by a cap 27. Surrounding the fixed end of the tube and seated within the chamber of the cap 2l between said tube and the carbidholder is a washer 28, of absorbent material, which takes up the water supplied from the reservoir and distributes it to the carbid, and in the reservoir, adjacent to the washer, are one or more series of apertures 29, through which the water passes from the reservoir. A sleeve 30 slides upon the reservoir and acts as a valve by which the feed of water to the carbid may be controlled. One end of this sleeve is enlarged, as shown at 31, to form when arranged opposite one or more of the rows of apertures an intervening space of restricted size, through which the water from said apertures may iiow to the absorbent washer 28 to be distributed to the carbid in the holder 22. The valve-sleeve 30 is of course preliminarily adj usted to the desired position before the carbid-holder and reservoir are inserted in the generator-casing, the adjustment being made by hand through the open end of the carbid-holder, which is then closed by the cap 23.

In priming the generator for operation the cap 21 is unscrewed and removed, together with the carbid-holder and water-reservoir, and thenpthe parts are held in a perpendicular position, with the cap 21 upward, the reservoir filled to a point just below the lower apertures 29, and the cap 27 applied to close the open end of the reservoir. After this the valve-tube 30 is adjusted, the carbid placed in the holder 22, and the cap 23 applied. The carbid-holder and water-reservoir are now in condition to be inserted in the generator-casing 13, and in applying them the casing is turned to an upright position, with its open end uppermost, the carbid-holder and reservoir inserted therein, and the cap 21 then screwed up to close the said open end of the casing. The generator is then primed for operation; but as the feed-orifices 29 are located above the level of the water in the reservoir the flow of Water to the carbid cannot take place to cause the generation of gas.

When it is desired to set the device in operation, the position of the generator-casing is reversed-that is to say, the generator is turned completely around, so that the cap 2l will be lowermost, as shown in Fig. 3where upon the feed-apertures 29 will be located at the base of the water-reservoir and the water Will pass out through the apertures uncovered by the valve-tube 30 and be supplied to the absorbent washer 28, which will distribute it to the calcium carbid, whereupon the generation of gas commences and is continued as long as the generator is maintained in the stated position and water is supplied to the carbid. The gas generated in the reservoir flows outward therefrom through the tube 19 to the hollow shaft 1l and thence through the burner-tube to the burner, where it is consumed. When the generator is in the position shown in Fig. 4, it will be readily seen, of course, that the generation of gas is arrested; but when the generator is turned to any other position in which the water can iiow out of the apertures 29 gas will be generated and will be allowed to pass to the burner through the groove 16 in the hollow shaft 11, so that the generator may be adjusted to the position most convenient for use and as circumstances may require.

When in the operation of the apparatus the pressure of gas within the generator-casing exceeds the pressure or head on the column of water in the water-reservoir, the generation of gas will be reduced or completely arrested, as the Water will be forced up into said reservoir above the level of the uppermost series of openings 29. As soon as the pressure within the reservoir decreases the water will again descend and start the generation of gas in the manner previously described, so that the device will be entirely automatic in action, the generation of gas being regulated automatically by the pressure of the gas itself, so that under no condition can the pressure within the generator pass beyond the safety-point. This is also the case when the light is temporarily extinguished by the closing of the valve controlling the flow of gas to the burner and the generator contains Water and carbid. Generation will continue, unless the generator has been adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 3, until the pressure of the gas is sufficient to force the water above the opening 29. As

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prevented, the pressure `of the gas confined in the generator will decrease and the generation of gas will again commence; but as soon as the pressure of the gas reaches a certain point generation will again be arrested, and this will continue until the supply of carbid and water is exhausted.` When it is de-` sired to stop the generation of gas for any considerable time, the generator is turned to the position shown in Fig. 4; but in the event that the generator should not be turned to this position no harm beyond the waste of the carbid could ensue, as the generation of gas would be automatically arrested in the manner before described before the pressurecould reach the danger-point.

The short shafts or trunnions 1I and 12 afford sufficient frictional contact with their bearings 9 and 10 to maintain the generator in the position to which it is adjusted without the use of holding means of any character. Whenit is desired to dismantle the apparatus, the nut S and screw 14 are disengaged, whereupon the arm may be detached4 and the generator released by simply withdrawing the` hollow shaft 1I from engagement with its bearing 9. v

The object of employing a perforate carbidholder and forming the space between said holder and the wall of the generator-casing is to provide for the automatic discharge of the slaked carbid or `residu um from the holder before it packs in the holder and interferes withthe access of water to the carbid and the generation of gas. It has been found in practice that where this construction is employed in a lamp or' lantern which is portable and Whichis kept in more or less constant motion the agitation produced causes the waste carbid to discharge through the meshes or perforations of the holder and to bank up in the j space around the holder, thereby preventing the objection referred to.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

' it is thought that the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of my improved gas-generator will be readily apparent without requiring a more extended explanation.

`Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor detailsof construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a supporting-frame; of a gen-` erator mountedl to turn therein and comprislng a casing, a cap closing one end of the casl ing, a carbid-holder carried by the cap, and

with openings for the passage of water to the carbid, substantially as specified. ,j

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a supporting-frame; of a generator rotatably mounted therein and comprising a casing, a carbid-holder mounted in the casing, a water-reservoir concentric with and inclosed within the carbid-holder and provided with discharge-apertu res, and a support common to the carbid-holder and waterreservoir, the construction being such that when the casing is turned to one position, Water is permitted to discharge through said apertures, and when the casing is turned to a different position, the flow of Water through said apertures is cut off, substantially in the manner described.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a supporting-frame; of a generator mounted to turn therein, and comprising a casing, a cap closing one end of the casj ing, a carbid-holder supported by the cap, a

water-reservoir concentrically arranged within the carbid-holder and also supported by the cap, said reservoir being provided at a point adjacent to the cap with discharge-apertures, and means for regulating the outiiow of Water through said apertures, the construction being such that when the casing is turned in one position, the iow of Water will be entirely cut od, and when the casing is arranged in a different position, the flow of water will be let on through the dischargeapertures uncovered by the means for regulating the flow of water therethrough, substantially as described.

4. In ain acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a supporting-frame comprising a yoke provided with bearings, and a generator having trunnions to turn Within said bearings, said yoke being made of sections de-` tachable to permit of the insertion and removal of the generator, substantially as set forth.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a supporting-yoke, of a generator mounted to turn therein and comprising ICO IIO

a casing, a cap closing one end of the casing,

a carbid-holder inclosed Within the casing and connected to said cap, a water-reservoir tube also connected with the cap and having one end opening through the cap and provided with a suitable closure and also provided adjacent to` said cap with discharge-apertures, and a valve-tube slidable on the reservoirtube to regulate the flow of Water through the discharge-apertures, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. MooRE. [n s] Witnesses:

HARRY T. VIALL, HARRY JORDAN. 

